Investigate the Basic Pass Requirements for National Senior Certificate
Introduction
The National Senior Certificate (NSC) is a qualification awarded to learners who have successfully completed Grade 12 in South Africa. It is the highest level of secondary education in the country and is required for admission to higher education institutions.
To obtain an NSC, learners must meet certain basic pass requirements. These requirements are set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and are designed to ensure that learners have a solid foundation in the core subjects.
Core Subjects
The core subjects for the NSC are:
- English Home Language or English First Additional Language
- Afrikaans Home Language or Afrikaans First Additional Language
- Mathematics
- Life Orientation
- Physical Sciences or Life Sciences
Learners must pass all five of these subjects in order to obtain an NSC.
Pass Requirements
The pass requirements for the core subjects are as follows:
- English Home Language or English First Additional Language: 40%
- Afrikaans Home Language or Afrikaans First Additional Language: 40%
- Mathematics: 30%
- Life Orientation: 50%
- Physical Sciences or Life Sciences: 30%
Learners who do not meet the pass requirements in one or more of the core subjects will not be awarded an NSC.
Additional Subjects
In addition to the core subjects, learners may also choose to take additional subjects. These subjects are not required for the NSC, but they can be used to improve a learner’s overall grade point average (GPA).
The additional subjects that are available vary from school to school. Some of the most popular additional subjects include:
- Accounting
- Business Studies
- Computer Applications Technology
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Music
- Visual Arts
Endorsement
Learners who achieve a certain level of performance in the NSC may be awarded an endorsement. Endorsements are awarded in the following areas:
- Academic
- Vocational
- Technical
To achieve an academic endorsement, learners must pass all of the core subjects with a mark of 50% or higher. To achieve a vocational endorsement, learners must pass all of the core subjects with a mark of 40% or higher and achieve a mark of 50% or higher in at least one vocational subject. To achieve a technical endorsement, learners must pass all of the core subjects with a mark of 40% or higher and achieve a mark of 50% or higher in at least one technical subject.
Conclusion
The basic pass requirements for the National Senior Certificate are designed to ensure that learners have a solid foundation in the core subjects. Learners who meet these requirements will be well-prepared for further study or employment.